History

The word plăcinte comes from the Latin placenta, a flat cake, and traces back to Roman Dacia. From the 10th to the 12th century the Greek influence on Moldavian cuisine introduced fine puff and pulled-pastry techniques, which the Moldovan kitchen folded into a thin pan-fried pastry with seasonal fillings: brânză with dill in spring, sour cherries in summer, pumpkin in autumn, salted cabbage in winter. Each Moldovan region has its own plăcintă shape and crimp, and the chain La Plăcinte turned the home recipe into a sit-down restaurant category in the 2000s.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Makes 8 plăcinteHands-on 45 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 300 ml warm water
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil, plus more for the work surface
  • 350g fresh brânză cheese (substitute feta plus 50g ricotta)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Small bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
  • Generous pinch of black pepper
  • 30g unsalted butter, melted, for finishing

Method

  1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and oil and mix to a soft dough. Knead on the counter for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  2. Divide into 8 balls. Coat each with oil, cover with a clean cloth and rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
  3. Mix the brânză, egg, dill and pepper in a bowl until evenly bound. Taste; if the cheese is mild, add a pinch of salt.
  4. Lightly oil a marble or wood surface. Take one ball, press it flat, then stretch and roll it into a paper-thin round about 35 cm across.
  5. Spoon a heaping eighth of the filling onto the centre. Fold the four sides over the filling to make a square parcel, then press the seams firmly to seal.
  6. Heat a heavy pan, ideally cast-iron, over medium heat with a thin slick of oil. Cook each plăcintă for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and the filling is hot through.
  7. Brush the hot plăcinte with melted butter and serve immediately, cut into quarters, with cold smântână on the side.

Tip from the editors. The dough should be elastic enough to see your fingers through when stretched; if it tears, you have rested it too cold, so warm the room slightly.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat plăcinte cu brânză

Plăcinte cu brânză in Chișinău

La Plăcinte (Hâncești 58) ★ 4.1

Moldovan traditional$botanica

La Plăcinte on Șoseaua Hâncești 58 is the Botanica-side branch of Moldova's plăcinte chain, with the largest dine-in room and a kids' play area attached.

Signature: Plăcinte by the slice, Mămăligă with sour cream, Zeamă chicken soup

Order: Plăcinte with cabbage and cheese, mămăligă with brânză and smântână on the side.

Tip: This branch has the most reliable lunch turnover; the plăcinte tray refills hourly and the sit-down menu carries the full traditional list.

Șoseaua Hâncești 58, Chișinău, Moldova Book →

La Mamuca ★ 4.1

centruDaily 08:00-21:00Cash only

La Mămuca on Strada Pușkin 22 is the takeaway plăcinte counter where the tray turns over every hour and the in-house cheburek fryer runs behind the window.

Try: Plăcinte by the slice (cheese, cabbage, potato) and chebureks

Strada Pușkin 22, Chișinău, Moldova

More cities are in research. Want plăcinte cu brânză covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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